1 definition by Alfonso 1
For well-educated people who are native speakers of a Latin language (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, and others not so well-known), a Latino/Latina is anyone, regardless of race or nationality, whose language and culture is mainly from the Latin world. The Latin world is composed of the Latin-European countries and the places around the globe that they colonized and left a real strong mark.
The Latin European lands became Latin when The Roman Empire took over them for centuries giving them its culture. These new Latin lands did the same to the lands they conquered in America, Africa and Asia.
In the U.S.A. (where global education is basic) the word took a wrong turn meaning only one of these three things: 1)the people from Latin-America; 2) All Spanish-Speaking people; and 3)Pure or mixed Native-American people who speak Spanish even when their customs may still be very indigenous. Sadly, ignorance has allowed many people (even people from Latin America) to believe the U.S.form.
The Latin European lands became Latin when The Roman Empire took over them for centuries giving them its culture. These new Latin lands did the same to the lands they conquered in America, Africa and Asia.
In the U.S.A. (where global education is basic) the word took a wrong turn meaning only one of these three things: 1)the people from Latin-America; 2) All Spanish-Speaking people; and 3)Pure or mixed Native-American people who speak Spanish even when their customs may still be very indigenous. Sadly, ignorance has allowed many people (even people from Latin America) to believe the U.S.form.
In Spanish, Italian and Portuguese there is no difference between Latino and Latin one is in English and he other one is in such language, and Latin means "designating of the languages derived from Latin, and the peoples who speak them and their countries". Therefore we then have Latins/Latinos in Europe,in all of the Americas including French Canada, several African countries, and a few places in Asia.
by Alfonso 1 May 3, 2008